Aspies For Freedom

No

No medication; PDDs are caused by the way the neurons in the brain are arranged and connected. PDDs aren't a mental illness, and thus can't be cured by medication. However, PDDs often exist alongside other problems, which intensify the weaknesses and block the strengths of the person... making the PDD much more of a problem.

With a PDD alone--Asperger's, autism, PDD-NOS--and no comorbid conditions, there is very little reason to worry about what is basically a difference in the way the brain works, not at all inferior to the way the average brain works.

What does need to be done is basically education: First of all, a method of communication has to be established between the person with the PDD and the rest of the world... Aspies usually have speech already; some auties learn speech late, but can learn it; others remain nonverbal and use sign or writing. In any case, that first step is the most important. After that, it's a matter of teaching the person to overcome their weaknesses, which are usually a low level of social skills, being prone to sensory problems, being disturbed by new or unpredictable things, and being overwhelmed by having to make decisions, especially quickly. There are other weaknesses; but those are the main ones.

In any case, the treatment for a PDD consists of identifying what the person needs to know to interact with the world, provide for himself, and generally be productive and happy; and then of teaching the person those things. Basically, it's the same as educating a kid with a typical brain; only the subject matter is different, because a kid with a PDD has different weaknesses from a kid without one.

Naturally, once the communication barrier is broken and the Aspie/autie in question has the resources to obtain and use any required information, he can usually educate himself. Outside help may be required, especially in the case of social skills training, which is easiest to learn by example.

If there are comorbids, then the treatment for a PDD mostly involves treating these problems first.

Counseling or medication can be used for emotional problems created by being set apart from the rest of humanity--not only by one's own social-skills failures, but by the society's tendency to expel those who are different.

A low IQ, together with autism, usually means that the autistic person must be carefully taught to communicate in some way; communication not being intuitive to the autistic, and hard to learn even with normal intelligence, it is even harder for someone with mental retardation and autism together to reach out. These people will probably also need whatever level of support appropriate for their level of developmental delay.

Seizures are common among people on the Spectrum; so is Tourette's and OCD. These are treated the same way they would be treated in a neurotypical person.

Autism and ADHD-like symptoms, or else ADHD itself, often coexist. The ADHD can be treated with training in organization and study skills, with stimulant medication to help if necessary. An intensification of special interests can occur with the autism/ADHD combination, since an ADHD brain causes one to seek stimulation, and autism's special interests are extremely stimulating. It is theorized that Einstein had this combination, causing him to be both extremely creative and extremely focused, but also very eccentric.

No. Social anxiety occurs in people with every level of social skill, from the charismatic social genius to the deeply autistic. However, social anxiety is common in those with low social skills, and exists in combination with them, since these people have often had bad experiences caused by interacting with people who easily took advantage of them.

The solution in this case would be to treat the social anxiety and educate in social skills at the same time. A higher level of knowledge helps to increase social confidence; however, a low level of social skill does not mean that there will automatically be social anxiety; instead, the person would simply be a satisfied introvert or a confidently eccentric extrovert.

Your symptoms:
-Difficulty using and understanding language
If your hearing is normal, I'd assume you are simply not a natural speaker, since you are communicating effectively in writing. Practice will increase your skill.
-Difficulty relating to people, objects, and events
A certain detachment is common to autistic people, introverts, and shy folk alike. However, autistic people usually relate very well to objects. When you do relate to the outside world, how do you do it?
-Social awkwardness
The one trait common to just about everyone on the Spectrum. Social skills can be learned like any other skill, however; and the great majority of people with PDDs become better at them as they grow and learn.
-Lack of eye contact
Also quite common. Generally the reason given is that it is distracting, feels uncomfortable, or seems like an intrusion. This is a part of a greater category of low skill, "impaired nonverbal communication". This can also improve with practice.
-Brief response to questions
A tendency not to talk much is probably connected to your difficulty with language in general. Not everyone is habitually brief; I, for example, am a dyed-in-the-wool lecturer; but such brevity is common enough among both NT and autistic folk that it need not be a source of worry. The main issue is whether those brief responses acheive communication or not; and I would assume that they do. You have probably heard of Calvin Coolidge, a President of the USA who was famous for being very brief when he spoke, if he spoke at all; so this more of a quirk than any sort of problem.
-Poor ability to make friends
An extension of the generally poor social skills of the autistic. Some will avoid making friends; others will make them and then unintentionally drive them off by being "weird" or otherwise uncomfortable to be with. Generally, we end up with one or two good friends rather than a circle of acquaintances.
-Lack of observed desire for friendship
This is simple introversion; you prefer to keep to yourself. Take care, however, that you do not become so isolated that it is hard to use the resources that other people represent. Being able to communicate with others, even if one does not currently wish to communicate, is an important thing to anyone. Also be careful to cultivate some form of compassion; many autistics, myself included, do not feel actual empathy; however, it is easy to learn to understand others cognitively, and to realize that they, like you, are sentient creatures.
-Difficulty translating thoughts into words
Chances are that you are a visual or conceptual thinker--your thoughts are not in words, but in pictures or ideas. With practice, you will learn to translate more easily from your native brain-language into the language everyone else uses. This style of thinking is more flexible than words, and can be a great asset.

All in all, the traits you have mentioned are common among people with PDD-NOS or mild, high-functioning autism. I would not be surprised if you are either diagnosable as being on the Spectrum, or else close enough to it that the doctors disagree about which side of the line you fall on.

It's a low ability to learn social skills, etc. Some people with PDDs are very interested in "fitting in", and spend a lot of time trying; so they end up being people with PDDs and normal social skills! (Often resulting in a diagnosis late in life... I think there are people here who were diagnosed sometime in their 50s!) Of course the brain compensates, probably in the same way that blind people can hear better; PDDs often result in special talents or abilities in "exchange" for not being a natural socializer.

Being surrounded by college students is indeed stressful. That time of life, like high school, is very socially charged... Everyone seems to be looking for social status, a potential mate, etc... I would suggest not actually "getting out there" much at all, but rather practicing social skills in safer environments--one-on-one conversations, good friends, quiet environments. Crowds, for example, are easier to tolerate at a movie than at a sports game--they're quieter at the movie!

Jumping into socializing in a sink-or-swim fashion is just so very overwhelming... I think easing into it is much better.

Ritalin improves concentration dramatically (It does that to everyone mind you, including "normal" people - it makes them into drones).